These excerpts from books reviewed by Spirituality & Practice offer more perspectives on community life. It's clear that living simply is one hallmark of intentional communities.

  • Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer probes the meaning of Christian brotherhood in his classic Life Together.
  • Alan Briskin and Tom Callahan affirm the creative collaboration which can grow out of community when people operate with openness and mutuality.
  • Richard Foster salutes the practice of Christian simplicity which is rooted in biblical tradition and in the life of Jesus Christ.
  • Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt, and David Weaver-Zercher explore the practice among the Amish of banning dishwashers as part of their effort to live simply.
  • Trappist monk Thomas Merton salutes the work ethic of the Shakers as part of their emphasis on humility and simplicity.

  • Scott Russell Sanders celebrates a conservation ethic which embraces frugality, simplicity, and community.